Richwoods junior Julia Wojtowicz makes a return throughout a Sept. 29, 2022 match in opposition to Bloomington Excessive Faculty on the Richwoods tennis courts.
PEORIA — Julia Wojtowicz and Shikha Agarwal dominated the highschool women tennis panorama this season.
After they performed a head-to-head match on Sept. 30, it was primarily a championship match for the Peoria space. Richwoods senior Wojtowicz gained that tense duel over Dunlap’s Agarwal, 7-6 (3), 7-6 (6).
Wojtowicz ends her prep profession as 2023 Journal Star Women Tennis Participant of the 12 months.
IHSA tennis: Dunlap women make historical past to guide Peoria-area gamers at state
Agarwal, the sumptuous Dunlap senior, winds up with IHSA Class 1A second-team all-state honors and led the Eagles to a third-place end, the best within the historical past of the college’s women tennis program.
“It is nonetheless so surreal to be a part of this,” Dunlap coach Pat Gornik stated days later. “I went again and seemed via all of the information. That is solely the third time we have had a boys or women workforce since 1991 win a quarterfinal match at state.
“It actually places it into perspective. Shikha will get to 100 profession wins, we end third at state. We went in not anticipating something however to play every match because it comes. We got here out with an historic efficiency.
“All of us signed the trophy. I’ve a silver sharpie we use. Their names are on the again of it for so long as now we have that state trophy. Actually, that is a robust factor.”
So is the 2023 Journal Star all-area women tennis workforce:
Julia Wojtowicz, Richwoods
The senior reached 100 profession wins in her adorned profession, whereas taking part in from the No. 1 slot in singles and with Olivia Reynolds in doubles. She put collectively a 40-12 mixed document this season and is the 2023 Journal Star Participant of the 12 months for successive seasons; she shared the glory with Reynolds final 12 months.
Wojtowicz teamed with Reynolds to complete third in doubles at state final season. Bumped as much as Class 2A, their 2023 run collectively produced a 3-2 mark at state to achieve the fourth spherical of comfort. They had been dropped right into a first-round bracket matchup in opposition to No. 1 seeds Maia and Estela Loureiro of Orland Park Sandburg, who went on to win the state title.
Extra: 100 wins, helicopters and New York: The distinctive journey of a Richwoods tennis ace
Shikha Agarwal, Dunlap
The highly effective senior No. 1 singles participant put collectively a 33-8 document and was on the coronary heart of the management on a workforce that produced Dunlap’s finest end ever at state. She gained her first three matches at state and gained the comfort quarterfinals to earn second-team all-state honors in Class 1A. Agarwal gained the Mid-Illini Convention singles championship and completed her highschool profession with 133 wins and as a four-time Mid-Illini first-team all-conference choice.
Sophie Muir and Alassea Michel, Dunlap
Muir, a senior, and Michel, a sophomore, mixed for a 32-7 doubles document and went on to win the Galesburg Sectional doubles title. The tandem gained 23 consecutive matches earlier than taking a loss within the semifinals of the Class 1A state finals.
They went 5-1 at state, ending in third place to earn first-team all-state honors after a 1-6, 7-5, 7-5 battle over Chicago College’s Tara Sawhney and Isabela Ji. Muir and Michel matched final 12 months’s effort by Richwoods’ Wojtowicz and Reynolds for the best end by Peoria space women in additional than 30 years.
Brianna Bessert and Emma Hernandez, Metamora
The seniors teamed up for a 22-8 doubles document from the No. 1 slot this season and earned second-team Mid-Illini all-conference honors.
They gained the Morton Sectional doubles crown and led Metamora to a second-place workforce end, lacking the workforce title by one level. Bessert and Hernandez went 3-2 at Class 1A state finals, beating Dunlap doubles tandem Emily Klemens and Isabella Gusso alongside the best way to achieve the fourth spherical of the comfort bracket.
Maya Baman, Dunlap
The sophomore completed runner-up within the Galesburg Sectional singles draw to teammate and champion Shikha Agarwal.
Baman went 30-15 as Dunlap’s No. 2 singles participant this season, and went on a five-match run at Class 1A state, profitable thrice to achieve the fourth spherical of the comfort finals. She earned third-team all-state honors.
She was a part of a Dunlap workforce that gained the Mid-Illini Convention event for the fifth time in seven years.
Olivia Reynolds, Richwoods
The junior piled up a 44-10 document mixed taking part in No. 2 singles and her final 11 doubles matches forward of state with accomplice Julia Wojtowicz.
The terrific athlete earned her a centesimal varsity profession win late within the season, and teamed with Wojtowicz to complete second within the Richwoods Sectional. Their Class 2A state run included a 3-2 match document as they reached the comfort fourth spherical.
Hailey Gerlach, Washington
The senior went 25-10 mixed as Washington’s No. 1 singles participant and teamed with Annabelle Hiel on the Panthers No. 1 doubles tandem. The Tri-County tennis event Ladies’s Open runner-up final summer time, she earned Mid-Illini Convention first-team honors.
Theresa Bartelme, Richwoods
The junior completed fourth within the Richwoods Sectional singles draw to realize a shot within the Class 2A state finals, the place she dropped each her matches. Bartelme went 30-11 understanding of all three singles slots within the Richwoods lineup.
Lauren Poole, Metamora
The sophomore went 19-5 within the Redbirds No. 1 and No. 2 singles slots and earned Mid-Illini Convention first-team honors.
Honorable point out
Chloe Kendall, fr. Morton; Lexi Burton, so., Metamora; Emily Klemens-Isabella Gusso, Dunlap; Annabelle Hiel, jr., Washington; Lauren Kottabi, sr., Morton.
Dave Eminian is the Journal Star sports activities columnist, and covers Bradley males’s basketball, the Rivermen and Chiefs. He writes the Cleve In The Eve sports activities column for pjstar.com. He will be reached at 686-3206 or deminian@pjstar.com. Observe him on Twitter @icetimecleve.
This text initially appeared on Journal Star: IHSA women tennis: 2023 Peoria Journal Star Participant of the 12 months, all-area workforce
